Definitions and stuff

Test of ReasonablenessThis is quite simply applying common sense. So does this make sense? Is it reasonable? Data, research results and pretty much any claim that anyone makes needs to pass this test. The trap is to be side tracked by thinking it’s failed the test simply because you don’t know anyone like that, or who does that, or whatever. That’s not the Test of Reasonableness. This test is about whether this stacks up. Does their argument hold water? Or is it leaky? It also relates to The Data Test: do their figures match? Both within that one document and across time? EXAMPLE

The Data TestIn the internet world people make a lot of claims, but few back them up with data. I need the numbers and preferably independently verified. People interchange, for example, the number of active users of a social media platform with how many accounts there are. Different! Different! Be clear what you're looking at. And be clear who is giving you those numbers? If the platform itself declares they now have x million users/accounts how do you know? Hence I want independent verification. I'm not distrusting. Honestly. I've just seen too many scams over the million years I've been in the work place. IMHO parts of the internet world are worse that the music industry for not providing verifiable figures. And I work in the music industry. I thought some parts of music had perfected the magic trick of hype coupled with rubbery figures until I met the internet world. I am eternally astonished by how easily people believe an unverified figure. But maybe that, just me. I'm old!

The Smell a Rat TestAs soon as you see something like 'all women think' or 'everyone believes' you can immediately strongly suspect that there is a seriously dead rat around somewhere. MORE